MiniDV handycam is sensitive to firewire

First Post!

My Sony MiniDV HandyCam is about a year and a half old. It is only now, a year and a half after a got it, that I have tried to import videos on to my computer from the MiniDVs. And it is only now that I realize that hundreds of people have the same problem I am having. I use a 4pin to 6pin 1394 cable, plugged in to a pci firewire port I installed myself. The firewire card works, and my problem is that the camcorder is sensed by the computer...sometimes. When the computer does sense it, it brings up the program that came with the camcorder (picture package) and the autoplay feature. Last time it was sensed, i was rewinding the tape while scanning for updates for the firewire card, and it just sensed the camcorder (it was plugged in for about 10 mins before that). I don't know what I am doing wrong (or right ). The other problem is that when i want to install the camera on to my computer, it isn't in the list of companies andd models int he wizard, and i do not know where to get a .inf manufacturers note document!